Sound off for Jan. 21

All you wanting to stop killings like Newtown. Think -- Here is where a major problem lies. Ask yourself -- Why in the month following the Newtown shooting has there been at least one threatened copy-cat school shooting in that state? Quick search shows two. Gee, could it be the nature of the media coverage? Now suppose that all accounts of all shootings of the innocent stressed the cowardly nature of the act of somebody who would rather go down in flames, killing the innocent rather than simply talk? I can make guns. I can make explosives. I can quickly and easily make a magazine that holds many rounds. The only people that abide by the law are law abiding and the vast majority of gun owners are as law abiding as anybody. Why punish them for the misdeeds of a fraction of a percentage of the population when it will in fact, do nothing but make people feel good for having done something. As a side note, the more oppression people feel, the more likely the wackos will come out of the woodwork.

Intentionally Mislabeled: We continually hear the phrase "assault rifle". Assault rifles are fully automatic rifles that are not issued are allowed in the civilian population. The guns used in recent attacks have been intentionally mislabeled to create legislation to remove these mislabeled guns from the civilian population. Our Second Amendment was created for the citizens right to defend themselves from an organized militia(overpowerfull government). Let's take into consideration our Founding Fathers just fought a war to liberate themselves from a tyranny form of government. They had enough foreknowledge to place this in our Bill of Rights knowing the possibility may occur again. Thus without certain guns removed from the citizens hand your right to defend yourself is now very limited. When the organized militia comes to haul people away your left to throwing rocks at them and calling them names to defend yourself. Not quite that bad but you are left with single shot weapons. Those who continually shout "no one needs an assault rifle" are those individuals who fail to recognize the formation of this great country and fail to honor the Constitution. Law biding citizens ones who honor the Second Amendment are being punished for the acts of others. I agree with post about vehicles and drunk drivers and second hand smoke killing more people. Non-drinking drivers should be punished for the damaged caused by drunk drivers. It's only fair, equal, and impartial. We half-heartedly laugh and joke, blow it off and convince ourselves "that will never happen". Oh really, look at what will be installed in every vehicle made after 2014. A little black box will be placed in your vehicle to monitor your every move. Every vehicle...that means drinker, non-drinker and remember we been lied to and told this is for our safety and protection. Just another incremental step to rob us of rights and freedoms under the guise of looking out "for your safety and protection".

Now that 47 million people are on food stamps, a panel of experts have concluded that they need more money. Turns out food inflation is rising faster than food stamp benefits and that is causing problems for people. Rather than recommend we stop putting corn in our fuel tanks, this group wants more money given away so people can buy better food. The group also cited a lack of affordable food stores in the inner cities. No word on the need to reduce crime in those cities as a way to encourage food stores to move back. Meanwhile, other experts continue the call for a chained CPI for use in calculating cost of living increases for SS recipients. The chained CPI reflects changes in people's buying habits when prices increase. So rather than buy lobster, they switch to steak. Or from steak to chicken. Or from chicken to dog food. That's one possible regression year over year if chained CPI calculations are implemented. So, on the dole? They want to give more money to help with rising food prices. Work all your life and in retirement? They want to move your diet towards dog food. Hopefully, we can enjoy a year of canned dog food before the chained CPI moves us to dried. And then what? Starvation? After all, we need to get Medicare costs under control.